Forgiven (Hiatus or Discontinuation?)
by everycloudhas
Summary: It's not that I can't forgive you. It's just that there's nothing to forgive. AU and OOC.
1. Chapter 1

(Please bear with me. I heard the first line from a reality show that mom and I were watching and I thought 'this could be the start of something'. I don't know. Tell me if it is worthwhile for me to continue or should I just concentrate on my other stories.)

You weren't there for me when I needed you most.

That's what she told me.

How could I when she's the one who left me.

She left me.

She left me without a single word.

And now she's back.

Back into my life

And

Right back into my heart?

(原谅)

"Please go away." "Please go back to your wife."

"I just need to talk to you, please let me in."

"No!" "Go away!"

"Please."

"Please leave me alone. Please just let me be."

"I..."

"I knew I was going to find you here with your whore!"

"It's not what you think?"

"This is what I think!"

SLAP!

"You stay away from my husband!" "He doesn't love you!" "You filthy whore!"

"Are you alright? "Did she hurt you?"

"Please don't touch me." "Just go." "Go after your wife."

"I..."

"GO!"

(原谅)

How could they have done this to her? Her best friend and her husband. How long have they been deceiving her? How could she have been so blind?

"We need to talk."

"The only talking we will be doing will be through our lawyers."

"Are you asking for a divorce?"

"Why? Do you think there's any other choice?"

"I guess not. I think it's for the best."

"For the best!? So that you can be with your whore!" "Have you ever loved me? "Was I just a substitute for her?" "Don't even think you can be with her and your happily ever after!"

"What are you planning to do? If you try to lay a finger on her!"

"Or what? Do you think I give a shit as to what you think? Do you think I even care what'll happen to her!" "You should have thought of how I was going to react when you were fucking her!"

"We are not doing anything. I was never unfaithful to you." "She will never do anything to hurt you." "You should know that about her by now."

"I thought I did. But I guess losing the love of your life can change a person." "Although she has never lost your love, has she?"

"If you knew that I love her, why did you agree to marry me?"

"I thought that with time, you will forget about her and your love for her."

"I am sorry."

"For what? Marrying me when you obviously did not love me, not being able to forget her when we were married or just playing me for a fool?"

"For everything."

(原谅)

She needed to leave.

Again.

She has caused her best friend to be angry with her.

She made her cried.

Everything will be fine once she is gone from their lives.

Forever.

(Love it, hate it, should I continue?)

(Thanx for reading.)


	2. Chapter 2

_(To :** KazumaKaname, Renji4eva, lyerlaboys1 and Ichihime94**. Thanks so much for the input. Duly noted.)_

_(This very fast update is for you. Thanks again.)_

(原谅)

Why can't you hate the one who has caused you so much pain.

"I am sorry too.

Why should she be sorry? She has done nothing wrong except to fall in love with someone like him.

"I am sorry for slapping her." "And I am truly ashamed of myself for letting those _'words'_ come out from my mouth. As a teacher, I should have be able to refrain myself from using such foul languages."

She was back. This was the girl, now woman he married, the bubbly cheerful sunshine who would never harm anyone.

Despite the tense atmosphere earlier, he felt something akin to a smile from appearing on his face.

"It's fine Hime. You just snapped. It's no big deal." Kurosaki Ichigo assured his wife. "Though it was quite the sight to see you in a completely different light." He continued and smirked much to her irritation.

How could they be so calm and talking to each other like they were discussing about the weather when their marriage was crumbling right before their eyes.

Maybe he thought it was just a little blip on their married life and they were going to weather this and continued on with their marriage on paper only.

"Kurosaki-san..."

He lifted his eyebrows and looked at his wife. "You have never called me that, not even when we have just met."

Kurosaki Orihime, soon to be Inoue Orihime ignored her husband's observation and went on wearily.

"Kurosaki-san, while we are waiting for our marriage to be formally terminated, can you please go back to calling me by my maiden name."

"Hime, are you still going to go through with the divorce?" He couldn't believe it. Didn't she always say she love him? They could always work something out, couldn't they?

"Please Kurosaki-san. It is Inoue to you. We both know I have never been your princess." The truth hurt but it was liberating as well. Knowing he has never loved her and will never love her will set her free.

"Besides, you yourself admitted that it was for the best. Why the need to lie about wanting to hold on to something that was never ours." "And you know the best thing about us getting a divorce, you can be with the one you truly love. Won't that be great for you?" Orihime was glad. Happy she did not have to burden him with a loveless marriage.

"But you are always saying you love me, you love me now and forever." Ichigo was not giving up, on her or their marriage. He was not giving up and he did not even know why. Should he not be ecstatic over the pending divorce so he can be with_ her_?

"I do, I guess I will always love you. But this cannot be a one-sided event anymore and even with all of my love, I guess it is not enough for the two of us."

"I took my marriage vows seriously and I was never unfaithful to you." He did not comment on whether he has ever tried to love Orihime as she did him. Wasn't it enough for him to be there for her regardless of whether or not love was involved?

"Not physically but emotionally and please do not try to deny it." She sorrowfully recounted.

"Whatever you say, I don't want to argue over it." He was tired. He wanted his sweet beautiful wife not this distrustful suspicious shrew.

Orihime was starting to feel the rage in her rising again. As usual Ichigo was avoiding the issue. Of loving someone else and married to the one you do not. Did he not admit to loving _her_ in the heat of the moment awhile ago. That was the problem with this marriage, they talked but always of mundane safe subjects and never what was really needed to be thrash out. It was frustrating and she had has enough.

"Kurosaki- san, do I have to move out while we are in the process of dissolving our marriage?" Orihime did not know if she can still be under one roof with him and go through with what she should have done ages ago.

"Why? Do you have another man waiting for you to fall into his arms." Ichigo was livid. Was she leaving him for another man? Has she been the one who was being unfaithful in this marriage all along?

The wrinkles caused by the scowl she found to be so funny was going to be etched permanently in his forehead if he continued to imagine things that just weren't real. The sinner with the guilty conscience is always the one to accuse the innocent one.

"Kurosaki-san, like you I take my marriage vows seriously and together with the fact you are the only one I have ever loved, why do you think so contemptuously of me?" Not only did he not love her, he did not even trust her.

"Do you need to go through my bags before I leave?" She taunted him without malice.

"No! You know I trust you. Where do you intend to go?"

"Tatsuki-chan or ..."

"If you don't mind, you can continue to live here. I could sleep in the other bedroom if you are uncomfortable with sharing the bed with me." "Please."

Ichigo did not want Orihime to leave him. Yet again. Even before they have began dating, when they were dating, before their marriage and now, she was always trying to leave him. This time she was not leaving him. He was not going to let her.

"Are you sure? Would it not be better for me to move out so that she can move in to be with you?" Orihime suggested sadly.

"Please don't talk like that. As long as we are both wearing our wedding rings, there's no one else in this marriage but the two of us. Do I make myself clear." Ichigo reinforced the words with a steely gaze at Orihime.

Orihime nodded reluctantly. She has always wanted only the two of them in this marriage. She was also under no illusion that this was only temporary and she will be out of his life as soon as they signed on the dotted line. She will not let herself be blinded by her love for him. This time there will be no looking back.

She was staying. Ichigo knew she was planning to leave him but he was going to use what little time they have before their marriage was no more to convince her, her love alone was enough for this marriage.

"Hi-," He corrected himself when he saw the annoyed glare she gave him. "Inoue, since you do not find it fit to call me by my name how about dropping the 'san' and call me 'kun' again." "Remember how you made me the envy of the whole school with your extremely exuberant greeting."

Orihime smiled sadly. Of course, she remembered. She was just a silly love-struck classmate who fell in love with him at first sight and she has never stopped loving him since.

"No Kurosaki-san, you were never my prince and I was foolish to believe I could be your princess."

Orihime held out her trembling hand to him.

"Let's just try to remain friends while we are both still husband and wife."

Ichigo stared at the pale trembling hand, he grabbed it and pulled her into a hug.

Orihime was stunned for a moment and then she hugged him back with all her might.

And she wept.

(原谅)

(_I wonder if I should make this story with more angst and no happy ending or not so much angst and a happy ending.)_

_(Now to start on my happier story. Still thinking where they should go on their first date.)_

_(Thanx for reading.)_


	3. Chapter 3

_(Thanks for the reviews. A little humor and no IchiHime in this chapter because the next chapter could be rather depressing.)_

(原谅)

Kurosaki Orihime was grateful for her friends and now one of her closest friend was beckoning her to enter her apartment.

"Good evening Tatsuki-chan. Thank you very much for inviting me to the sleepover." She gave a tiny smile of appreciation.

"What are we, polite children? Get your butt in!" Arisawa Tatsuki took her best friend's bag from her and gently nudged her in.

After closing the door, she took a good look at the broken princess.

To a stranger's eyes, she was beautiful. Shiny auburn hair, large innocent sparkling eyes, full luscious lips and of course, '_the body'._

"You look much better." It was true, she was gorgeous regardless of the heartbreak she has been experiencing. You would not have known of her agonizing internal turmoil if you did not look beyond her beautiful flawless face.

"Thank you Tatsuki-chan."

"It's true, although you are suffering, it doesn't really show. Must come with being a 'goddess'." Tatsuki joked.

Orihime gave her best friend a gentle genuine smile.

"Are you expecting anyone else?" She asked curiously.

"Who are you hoping for?" Tatsuki answered with a question. Then she realized who Orihime was asking about.

"Don't tell me you're still expecting for her to show up. After what she has done! She's narcissistic, lazy and irresponsible." Tatsuki was not too fond of her best friend's other best friend. "She's a big fat liar as well."

"Tatsuki-chan, please do not say such things about Rangiku-san." Orihime was defending her friend when the loud knocking on the front door startled the both of them. Orihime looked to Tatsuki who was just as surprised as her.

"It couldn't be." Tatsuki mumbled to herself as she went to open the door.

"Tatsuki!" The not wholly unexpected guest greeted her before she caught sight of the reason she was here.

"Hime!" She dropped her bags on the floor and rushed to embrace the poor girl in a smothering hug.

"Cry into my breasts, my poor baby. I'm back and I'll always be here for you."

"Let her go, you stupid woman!" Tatsuki pulled her voluptuous friend from her other voluptuous friend.

Matsumoto Rangiku was offended. All she wanted to do was to comfort her best friend and Tatsuki has already started on the insults.

"Tat-Tat," She addressed the one who separated her from her princess,

"How many times have I told you to not call me that, you big breasted brainless idiot!"

"I'll call you whatever I want, Miss Flat and Rude. Don't think I don't know you've been badmouthing me to my best friend even before I got here."

"Flat and rude!? Who are you calling flat, you shameless exhibitionist you!"

"If the shoe or should I say bra fit then wear it, there's no point in denying. Besides us curvaceous beauties need to support each other, right Hime?"

"Hime?"

"Orihime?"

The bickering frenemies immediately forgot about their petty nitpicking of each other when they did not get any response from their best friend.

They looked at each other, afraid that their loud words might have struck a nerve with Orihime.

She was just standing there; with her head lowered, her small hands covering her face and they could see her whole body was trembling.

Without another word being spoken, Rangiku and Tatsuki moved closer to Orihime.

"Hime?"

"Orihime?"

They were both startled when the princess suddenly lifted her head and started to... laugh wholeheartedly.

They turned to each other and mouthed,

"Mental breakdown?"

"Finally snapped?"

Tatsuki smacked Rangiku not so gently on the arm over the remark concerning Orihime's mental health

"Ouch! What was that for?" Rangiku rubbed her arm as she griped at Tatsuki.

Tatsuki glared at her and pointedly directed Rangiku to Orihime who was still laughing rather joyfully.

"You guys," Orihime said in between her laughter; she wiped the tears from her cheeks, the laughter stopped, she gazed at her two best friends affectionately, a tiny warm smile replaced the laughing,

"I have missed you." An admission of loneliness was relay in those heartfelt words.

Rangiku was the first to react, she rushed to show Orihime she has missed her too. She called out to Tatsuki who was stunned by her bubbly friend's acknowledgement of being alone even though she was a married woman.

Rangiku pulled her towards them, "Group hug!" And Arisawa Tatsuki was enveloped in what every horny hormonal teenage boys fantasized about

"Isn't this nice." Rangiku cooed contentedly as she squeezed all her loving into her hug.

"Mmm, it is nice." Orihime responded with an equally tight embrace of her own.

And Tatsuki?

"I..."

"What is it Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime loosened her grip to look at her friend anxiously.

"I-I can't breathe!" Tatsuki gasped for air as she pushed against her two buxomly friends.

Orihime released her friend completely and patted her on the back. Rangiku just looked at her with pity.

"What's with that look?" Tatsuki asked, once she could breathe normally again.

"What look?" Rangiku asked innocently.

"That look! Ahhh! Forget about it."

Anxious to prevent another squabble between them, Orihime asked as to how Rangiku manage to make it here tonight.

"For you, my princess. Only for you." Rangiku humbly bowed like a commoner in the presence of royalty.

The sound of a happy Orihime giggling so care-freely brought a smile to the two friends.

They glanced at each with the smile still on their faces, feeling relief, then suddenly remembering they were not happy with each other, "hmpf," and they averted their faces from each other

"I bought you gifts, Hime, lots and lots of them. You too Tatsuki,"

"Thanks." Tatsuki grudgingly acknowledged.

"It was difficult and I had to go to the boy's section to find those that I thought might fit."

How she hates this airhead bimbo friend of Orihime, yes Orihime, because Matsumoto Rangiku is not her friend.

She glared venomously at the seemingly unknowing woman.

Orihime sensed a darkening aura coming from Tatsuki, '_not again',_ she thought. Time to distract them both from going at each other again.

"What did you get for me?" She eagerly asked Rangiku. That got her attention.

Rangiku rushed to her bags and emptied a mountain of stuffs for them to go through. Despite herself, Tatsuki too got involved as Rangiku gave a short description to every piece.

"Who's this for?" Tatsuki held up a flimsy looking ivory negligee.

"Oh, Tatsuki do you want it? I'm sorry but it's not for you. Besides I don't think it will fit you." Rangiku looked at her friend apologetically.

'Is she mocking me?' Tatsuki thought. For Orihime's sake, she decided to let the response slide.

"Of course not, you idiot. Are you planning to seduce some unsuspecting admirer with it?"

"You are a genius, Tatsuki. It is for seducing but the person doing it is not me." Rangiku grinned knowingly and nodded towards Orihime.

"You can't be serious!" Tatsuki exploded. "Are you going to teach Orihime to play the submissive whorewife to save her dying marriage?" Tatsuki was livid at what she thought was Rangiku's possible useless meddling.

"What! No! Don't jump to the wrong conclusion. It is for the men I will be introducing my favorite girl to when her divorce is finally finalized. You are still going through the divorce, aren't you?" Rangiku rushed her way to the explanation and ended it with a question to Orihime.

The two of them set their steely sight on her. They were both united now. They wanted Orihime to free herself from this so-called marriage of hers.

"Well Orihime?"

Orihime fidgeted nervously under the determined glares her two best friend were giving her.

"I am still going through it but..."

"But what Hime?"

"Don't interrupt her, Rangiku."

"Sorry Hime."

"I am still looking for a reliable divorce lawyer."

"Say no more, I have the perfect man, I mean lawyer for you." She went to retrieve her cellphone from her bag. Muttering to herself, she looked through her contacts till she found the one she wanted for Orihime. She showed them his picture.

"Is he really a lawyer," Tatsuki questioned.

"Why?" Rangiku was puzzled.

"Looks rather too good looking, he's not someone you are trying to hook up Orihime with, is he?" Tatsuki was weary of Rangiku's preposterous schemes.

"I am insulted Tat-Tat. Whatever I do, I always think of what's the best for Orihime. I will never do anything to harm her." Rangiku got away without really answering the question by having a hurt expression on her face.

"Whatever. What do you think Orihime?"

"I do not mind. Since Rangiku-san recommended him, the least we could do is to schedule an appointment date and then decide if we should let him take up the case."

"I want to be there when you meet him, I still have some reservations over one of Rangiku's acquaintances."

"Or you want to check him out for yourself because he is so good-looking, your words not mine."

**Lady Antebellum** put a stop to any rebuttal from Tatsuki.

Orihime rushed to answer her cellphone. She gestured to the other end of the room with her cellphone to her friends.

Both her friends saw her moving to the windows to talk to the person on the other line.

They decided to give her a little privacy as they moved closer to the kitchen.

They spoke in a low tone.

"Who do you think it is?"

"Who else?" Tatsuki shrugged.

"That cheating bastard!" Somehow Rangiku managed to keep her indignation to a semi-loud exclamation.

"Hush! You idiot, not so loud." Tatsuki emphasized her point with a jab to Rangiku's ribs.

The motion has the opposite effect for Rangiku shrieked out a loud cry of distress.

"What's wrong?" Orihime anxiously asked her friend.

"Nothing. She just got what she deserved." Tatsuki answered for Rangiku with the evil eye glare at her.

Not one to dwell on anything, Rangiku got straight the point,

"Who was it, Hime?"

The princess hesitated, "It was Ich-, Kurosaki-san."

Eyebrows lifted and the eyes widen in surprise.

Rangiku was the first to recollect herself.

"Drop the 'san', Hime. The bastard doesn't deserve your respect."

Orihime looked at Rangiku and sighed resignedly. "Rangiku-san." She softly uttered.

"Hey! That's my childhood friend you are dissing about." Tatsuki stated with a straight face.

The three friends stared at each other and then they erupted into loud childish giggling.

When the laughter has died down. Rangiku decided to breach the subject again.

"What did he want?"

"Oh, Kurosaki-san has forgotten that I will be staying the night at Tatsuki so he was just calling to ask where I was and if I was in need of a ride home."

"Isn't it too late to be playing the caring husband?" Tatsuki sneered in a contemptuous snide way.

"But Kurosaki-san has always, and I mean always wanting to know where I was. He said that he felt uneasy if he did not know where I was." Kurosaki Orihime smiled sadly at her soon to be ex-husband's possessiveness.

"Hime, Hime, Hime, ouch! Why did you hit me again?" Rangiku winced at Tatsuki.

Tatsuki who was running out of patience for the blonde, told her to cut to the chase.

Rubbing her sore parts, Rangiku asked Orihime if she was going soft on Ichigo. Not waiting for an answer, she continued by telling her that the reason he called to check up on her was because he will be going to be with the whore. She paused, expecting Orihime to defend someone who was never really her friend much less her best friend. But even she was stupefied by what the words were.

"But Rangiku-san, there is no need for Kurosaki-san to inquire as to where I am, if he wants to be with her, he can do it regardless of if I am at home or not. I have even offered to move out so that she can come and live with him."

Now it was Orihime's turn to face the wrath of the dojo owner.

"Owiee! Why did you hit me Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime whined as she rubbed the top of her head.

Tatsuki asked Rangiku to kindly explain to Orihime why her head has taken a hit. Rangiku in turn told Tatsuki she has more important matter to discuss with Orihime.

"I bet the adulterous low-lives are with each other now. Let's confront them so Tatsuki can 'aikidoed' the two of them." Rangiku devilishly suggested.

"It's karate, you dumb blonde."

"Kurosaki-san has assured me that he has never been unfaithful to me," Orihime started to say,

"Hime, Hime, Hime, Ha!" Rangiku fended a smack to the body from Tatsuki.

"And you believed him? Don't answer or I might ask Tat-Tat to hit you again." She continued without breaking a sweat.

"What do you think they are doing when they are together? Let's just go and then get Tatsuki to 'jujitsued' them."

"It's karate, Rangiku-san and can we just drop this." Orihime was trying to be strong but it was difficult especially with Rangiku forcing her to face head-on what she still desperately did not want to believe.

Tatsuki decided to step in. "Why** 'Need You Now**?" She directed the question at Orihime.

"Huh?"

"The ringtone." Tatsuki clarified.

"Oh, it seems I am always needing Kurosaki-san but I guess I should start getting use to the fact that he will not be there for me should I need him anymore." The truth was always hard to face.

"But Hime, he has already let you down once, he wasn't there for you when you needed him most." Rangiku reminded her.

"It was not his fault. I was the one who left. I left without even saying goodbye to him."

"How could you say that? You were almost...," A signal from Tatsuki and Rangiku substituted what she were going to say with another word. "You were almost killed. It's not your fault. It's theirs. They forced you to leave. It's true. You were hurting so much. You thought by leaving you could stop the pain. But you nearly lost your life and even now you are still hurting. You need to end this, Hime." Rangiku realized how cruel her words sounded but Orihime needed to stop blaming herself for anything bad that happened to her.

"Ran's right. You need to end this self-loathing, self-sacrificing, self-whatever nonsense of yours. It was never your fault. Through their actions, whether imagined or real, we almost lost you. Just let it go. Let all the hurt and misery be like the wind."

Tatsuki saw how Orihime was reacting to the painful truth. She placed a comforting arm around Orihime's shoulders. Orihime shivered at the touch.

"I am alright." She gave a reassuring smile to her friends. "I am ending it. So can we please just stop talking about it." There was a pleading tone in her voice.

"Okay. Time for a toilet break. Tat-Tat, may I use your bathroom?" Rangiku asked politely.

"How many times must I warn you not to call me that and when did you become so courteous? Are you up to something?"

"Why are you so suspicious?" Rangiku answered back as she walked to the bathroom with her cellphone.

"Suspicious? Me? Oi Orihime, what's his ringtone for you?" There was no need to ask which _'he'_ they were talking about.

"Kurosaki-san's ringtone for me?" Orihime's eyes slowly gazed over as memories long forgotten forced themselves back into her mind.

(原谅)

**Can we pretend that airplanes**

**In the night sky are like shooting stars?**

**I could really use a wish right now**

**Wish right now, wish right now**

**Can we pretend that airplanes**

**In the night sky are like shooting stars?**

**I could really use a wish right now**

**Wish right now, wish right now**

(原谅)

_(My definition of a happy ending might not be what is expected. Be prepared for angst.)_

_(Thanx for reading.)_


	4. Chapter 4

(I am so depressed. I just watch the Chevy Dog commercial, again. And I cried, again.)

(Hopefully, this chapter will be just as depressing. Rush job. I had to write this as I was in the mood.)

(原谅)

"_Kurosaki-kun! Quick! Make a wish!"_

_"Why ever for?"_

_"There! Look at the shooting star!"_

_"That's not a shooting star Inoue. It's an airplane."_

_"Oh, but... couldn't we pretend it is a shooting star and make a wish."_

_"If it's pretending, not that I'm saying wishes do come true but doesn't that contradict the wishing upon a star myth."_

_"Come on Kurosaki-kun, it will be fun. And if the wish does come true, we can start a new trend of wishing on airplanes."_

_"No, it's childish and foolish."_

_"Then just for tonight, we can pretend we are children and airplanes are shooting stars and... wishes do come true, right Kurosaki-kun?"_

_"We can't just pretend what we are not, Inoue. Stop building castles in the clouds and grow up."_

_"But Kurosaki-kun, once in awhile it is fun to play make believe and be as carefree as children. Could you not do this with me at this moment now?"_

_"For the love of...Why can't you be more like...Stop acting like a spoiled brat Inoue."_

_"I-I am not a s-spoiled c-child. I-I was not given the luxury to be one even when I was still a child. How do you want me to behave and who do you think I should be like, Kurosaki-kun?"_

_"Just act our age and stop wasting time with the overly fantastical imaginative scenarios. That wouldn't be so difficult, would it?"_

_"Inoue?"_

_"You can go on ahead Kurosaki-kun. You do not need to walk me home. I will be fine on my own."_

_"No. It's late. Let's go Inoue."_

_"I said it will be fine. Just let me be. Goodnight Kurosaki-kun."_

_"Goodnight my arse! Are you still planning on making a wish? The damn airplane is not even in our sights anymore! Fine. Just make your stupid wish, I'll wait for you."_

_"I have already made my wish and it is not stupid. You do not need to wait for me. You can go to her. Just leave me alone Kurosaki-kun. Goodbye!"_

_"Inoue!"_

(原谅)

"What did you do to our princess?" Rangiku accused Tatsuki the minute she stepped in the living room.

Tatsuki went into her defensive mode. "What do you mean?"

Rangiku pointed to Tatsuki a forlorn looking Orihime staring hopelessly at the night sky.

"Sorry, let me rephrase. What did you say to Hime?"

"I just asked her what _his_ ring tone for her was."

"And." Rangiku was frustrated over how slow Tatsuki was with the explanation.

"She said it has been awhile since she has handled his cellphone and the last time she did, it was the song '**Airplanes**'.

"Strange choice. I would have thought it would be," Rangiku pondered meditatively as to what the appropriate ring tone should be.

"Ah! I give up. I don't want to get inside that bastard's mind. But Hime should change her ring tone for him."

"What are your ingenious suggestions?"

"**Monster, Misery, When We Collide, Use Somebody, Trap**..." Rangiku was on a roll.

"Enough. I get the point." It sounded like what Orihime was going through.

"Do you want to know what my ring tones are for the two of you?"

"No."

"What!? Come on, make a guess. It will be so much fun."

"No." Tatsuki repeated with a deadpan expression.

"Aww, come on Tat-Tat." Rangiku tugged playfully at Tatsuki's arm.

Tatsuki was going to chastise Rangiku yet again for calling her that when barely concealed heart wrenching sobs reached their ears.

"Hime!"

"Orihime!"

Both of them rushed to comfort the sobbing princess.

Pain was etched on her pale face.

"All my wishes are never coming true, are they?"

She desperately wanted her friends to assure her otherwise but there was none a coming. So she lamented on sorrowfully.

"I-l a-am childish, clumsy, gullible, unlovable, useless, weak," She sobbed out before collapsing in her friends' arms.

But it was not enough.

"Is that why he doesn't love me, because I am not _her_. I am just not good enough for him." She continued miserably and the bitter tears just kept flowing down relentlessly.

"NO!" Tatsuki angrily shouted out. She was not angry with Orihime but with Ichigo. She really hated her childhood friend for what he has done to her best friend. This has to end.

"Look at me Orihime," She forced the weeping unhappily married woman to face her. "Please look at me Orihime. What have you become?" She let Orihime reflect on the question before she plowed on.

"So what if you are childish, clumsy, gullible and all the other stuff that he made you feel like. Who gives a damn! You are you. Cute, caring, curious, bubbly, imaginative, resilient, smart; hey! some help here," She prompted Rangiku.

"Oh, let me see. Gorgeous, delightful, charming, charismatic, sexy, a excellent cook and with a bosom to die for." She finished the last part with a jut of her own admirable breasts as well.

"What's with you and breasts?" Tatsuki groaned in mock disgust.

"Feeling left out, are we? Not to worry, oh flat-chested friend of mine. From faraway magical lands, I've bought you potent potions and powerful tools." She winked suggestively at Tatsuki.

"You really are an idiot."

"Yes I know. But that's why you still love me, right?"

The two friends played along with each other hoping to bring their friend out of her miserable state of mind.

They saw a ghost of a smile materializing on her tears stricken face. But it vanished the instance her lips moved.

Words so softly spoken and laced with so much hopelessness that they could hardly hear it.

"It will never go away, will it?"

"What is it, Orihime?"

Orihime clenched her tiny trembling fist in front of her heart, "This pain inside my heart, will it ever leave me," she cried out in despair.

For once, Tatsuki did not know how to comfort her friend. She has never experienced love or heartbreak such as what Orihime has gone through. She turned to Rangiku expecting her to know what to say.

"No, it will always be there. It might dull in years to come but it will always be there."

"Rangiku!" Tatsuki was shocked. She certainly did not expect to hear what was properly Rangiku's own suffering.

"I'm sorry Tatsuki. Hime needs to know the truth. Are you ready for the truth Hime?" She asked Orihime.

Orihime nodded.

Tatsuki grabbed both her friends' hands in her own. She was worried of what was to come.

"You fell so fast and hard for him. This love of yours for him will haunt you for the rest of your life. Even when he is out of your life, you will never be rid of what you went through with him. If you are lucky and you find another to lavish your love with and even if he would love you back more than the bastard ever did," Rangiku paused to let what she has said sink in.

"But every now and then a little thing he does will remind you of him. In time, the guilt will overcome you and you will not want to burden him with you being unable to love him back completely and so it ends."

"So it will be better for me to live my life, alone... till I died." Orihime was convinced she will never love as much as she did with him.

"Yes, if you really can't think of yourself loving another." Rangiku answered truthfully.

"No,! Don't sell yourself short. Both of you. If you can fall in love once, you will always fall in love over again." Tatsuki was saddened by her friends' bleak outlook.

"Tatsuki-chan is right. And I know of a way to permanently erase this ache from my heart." Orihime looked at her friends with a blank expression.

"What are you saying Orihime? Don't tell me you're going to stay in this marriage for the sake of your heart? Don't, you will still be the one who hurts the most if you persist in wanting to be with him." Tatsuki warned her.

Orihime gave her friend a sad little smile. "No. I am giving up on this marriage."

"Then how about getting rid of the pain?"Tatsuki asked anxiously with Rangiku looking on with fear in her own heart.

"If there is no heart, there will no longer be any pain."

(原谅)


	5. Chapter 5

_(Another short update remembered. Did it on my tablet, in between classes, dare I say, in class and almost everywhere. I will clean it up tomorrow on my trusty desktop.)_

(原谅)

"Will you take a look at that? I take it all back. The women I raved before were nothing compared to the goddess over there."

Kurosaki Ichigo pitied the women at the end of his client's ogling and lewd comments. He was tired of babysitting this extremely wealthy individual.

"Come on, just a look. I know your wife won't object to you having a tiny glance at an exquisite piece of work. I promised this will blow your mind away with her astonishing beauty"

Again he has to humor the client.

He turned to the 'goddess' who has captured the client's idolization. The first thought or rather accusation that ran through his jealous mind was '_what the fuck was his hime doing with another man'?_

Has he finally pushed her too far? She loved him... No! She loves him. She has and will always love him. But... why was she with him?

Ichigo stared at his princess with another man, one he was not familiar with.

_'Must be the conniving bitch Matsumoto, she's always trying to get Orihime to meet new men and leave me._' Ichigo thought bitterly. He fought the violent anger raising within him, inciting him to bash the bastard's face to a bloody pulp. How dare he make his princess giggle like a love-struck teenage girl. And why was his Hime looking at him with that expression?

He really, really wanted to march right in front of them and confront the adulterous pair. He shoved his hands into his pockets and clenched them tight.

Just as he was going to give in to his murderous rage, the client saved him from humiliating himself in front of his seemingly neglected wife.

"So, that's your type, eh?"

"Excuse me?" Ichigo realized he was not alone. He continued to stare intentionally at the said 'type' even as the client explained his observation.

"You have not been able to take your eyes off her since I pointed her out to you." The client leered. "Don't think I didn't notice the disinterested glances and the monosyllable answers from you regarding the other women. Can't say I blame you, she sure is a cut above the rest. Hard to believe a beauty like her even exists." The client too turned to continue with his ogling at the 'Venus' reincarnated.

"She bears a slight resemblance to my wife." Ichigo took his hand out of his pocket and roughly ran his fingers through his orange hair, the same spiky hair his Hime loved to caress and massage the scalp at the same time.

The client blew out a low whistle and stated enviously, "You damn lucky dog. No wonder you paid no heed to the other women. How did you manage to get someone like that to marry you? No offense, of course. I am just friggin' jealous." The client grinned good-naturedly.

"None taken." He assured the filthy-rich client. Why did his Hime marry him after all that he has done and what he did not say to her.

He knew.

"She loves me."

"As expected, a woman like that who could have any man she desires only chooses to marry for love. You really are one very fortunate individual. How long has you been bless with a sight such as her every time you opened your eyes?"

"I bet your pardon?"

"How long have you been married?"

Ichigo thought for a moment, "One year, this July. But I have known her for so much longer."

_'But for how much longer will she be mine?'_

"So, you are still in the honeymoon stage, I suppose? Perhaps, even now as we are speaking, you are really wishing you could be with your pretty little wife instead of a wrinkled old man such as myself."

Before Ichigo could stop his honest answer, he said it out, "Yes."

The client laughed rather boisterously and smacked Ichigo on the back. Ichigo hoped Orihime would not be attracted by the loud noises.

Yes, he wanted to go and snatched his wife to where she belongs, right by his side.

"Well, our business has not been concluded so I can't let you go just yet. Why don't you give the little woman a call and tell her how much you are missing her." The client suggested helpfully.

"You don't mind?" The client waved it off and walked a distance from Ichigo to give him a little privacy.

It was a great idea. Now he gets to see how his Hime would react from a call from him while she was on a fucking 'date'.

Kurosaki Orihime answered on the third ring.

"Yes, Ichigo?" Good, she was using his name in public. That will show the bastard.

"I just want to tell you I will be coming home from dinner." How does he go about asking as to where she is now?

"Any particular dishes you want me to cook for you?" Polite as usual.

"Just cook whatever you feel like, Hime." He did not want to pass the chance of calling her that.

"Oh, Ichigo. I will be buying dessert, so you do not need to get any."

"Right. Bye, Hime."

"Bye, Ichigo." He saw her staring at her cellphone before resuming conversation with the piece of shit.

So she's buying dessert, eh? Presumably at the very place she is having her meal right now. He can't wait to hear the lies she will be telling him at dinner.

First the lies, then the betrayal.

"All done?"

"Yes. Shall we be going?" Ichigo led the client away after a last glance at his Hime.

_'Ichigo-kun, we should get married on your birthday.'_

_'Why, Orihime?'_

_'Because I am going to be your best birthday present, ever!'_

_'Are you?'_

And she was.

(原谅)


	6. Chapter 6

_(Another short update. Just so everyone knows, this update and the next one are all part of the previous' chapter. I have completed it and I was just going to look through it before it was deleted. I do not know about the other writers but I usually like to let my completed stories 'simmer' for awhile as I decide if I should add or remove any words. Hence, the short, trying to remembered updates.)_

(原谅)

"Tat-Tat!" Matsumoto Rangiku shrieked, or that was how Arisawa Tatsuki heard how loudly and shrill her name sounded.

"How many times must I tell, no, order you not to call me that? And did I invite you to come into my home?" Tatsuki said exasperatedly.

Rangiku did not hear what her friend said or she pretended not to have heard. There was more important business at hand.

"So, how did Hime's date with the dashing lawyer go?" She asked excitedly.

Tatsuki deadpanned, "What date? It was a business appointment. A consultation. And I was there as well, remember?"

"Tat-Tat, how could you? You have a menage a trois without me, but if I was included, it won't be a threesome anymore. It would be a foursome. Didn't know you were into that kind of kinky stuff, Tat-Tat." Rangiku leered.

Tatsuki was hot and tired. She was in no mood for Rangiku's perverted humor. "Get out! You are not welcome!" She started to push Rangiku towards the door.

Rangiku turned just as fast and she put both her hands on her weary friend's shoulders. "What's wrong, Tatsuki? Did anything happen to Hime?" She asked, all serious and anxious at once.

Tatsuki looked at the complete change of demeanor in Rangiku's worried face. "Let's sit down first. You want a drink?"

Rangiku shook her head as they sat down, besides each other on the couch. She waited patiently for Tatsuki to begin.

"He called her, you know. When I was in the restroom. I knew that something was wrong the minute I sat down to resume my meal. It was all going so great before that call. Orihime found out she and the lawyer friend of yours have a lot in common. Don't tell me you did not plan for Orihime to meet him?"

"I admit I knew Hime would like him but why did Ichigo call her? Did she tell you the reason?"

"No. She did not say anything. She tried denying anything was wrong, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. I have to learn it from the lawyer when we were alone. He told me she was calling someone Ichigo on the cellphone and saying something about buying dessert."

"Buying dessert! Why is Hime doing this to herself?" Rangiku shouted in disappointment.

"You tell me." The two friends looked at each other. Resigned frustration written on their faces.

"You know something, I blame myself for making the two of them to suffer in this loveless marriage." Tatsuki said sorrowfully.

"How could you think of that? Hime loves him."

"She does, doesn't she? But has he ever loved her? If only I have not introduced the two of them, Orihime would not have fallen head over heels in love with him at first sight, if only I did not tell her to believe in her heart and trust in love, if only I did not tell him to go after her whenever she left him, if only... if only," Tatsuki let out a deep sigh of regret. "If only we had listened to your doubts about the marriage. At that time, I thought it was just protectiveness on your part for Orihime. But you knew better, didn't you? That he did not love her." Tatsuki continued with her tragic account.

"That's the thing. I was concerned about the marriage but it was not about him not loving her. Did you witness the expression on his face when she walked down the aisle. If that was not love, I do not what it was. What I was mindful of the marriage and even when they were together was that he has never uttered the three little words that a woman most desired to hear from the man she loved. Don't you find it strange?" Rangiku asked.

"That's because he loved _her_!" Tatsuki spat out the words.

"That's what everybody thinks and even Hime has told us that was what was confessed in the heat of the moment, but I have never seen anything even remotely romantic between the two of them. And I should know, because I am the one most sensitive to one's feeling. They reminded me of..."

"Siblings." Tatsuki suggested.

"You and him." Rangiku countered.

"What!?" Tatsuki sputtered in shock. Rangiku has better not meant she felt anything romantic towards the idiot.

Noticing the grimace on Tatsuki's face, Rangiku hastily explained it was just a way of describing his relationship with her. Tatsuki and him were exactly liked Ichigo and _her,_ as brothers and sisters. Tatsuki has to agree with the acute observation grudgingly.

And speaking of the homewrecker. Rangiku took her cellphone from her bag. Karma's a bitch. The bastard leaving her Hime for someone liked that. She waved her cellphone in front of Tatsuki.

"Remember that time at the sleepover when I had to use the bathroom." Rangiku reminded Tatsuki.

The light-bulb flickered on in Tatsuki's mind. "I knew it. You were really up to something!" She accused Rangiku.

Rangiku was unsurprising unrepentant. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Everything I do, I do it for our Hime. Want to see?"

"See what?" Tatsuki viewed Rangiku's cellphone with suspicions.

"This," Rangiku showed Tatsuki the videos.

"Isn't that.."

"Yes, it sure is. I had to ask a favor from a private eye acquaintance of mine to do a surveillance on the adulterous pair. But surprise, surprise it was not what I had expected."

"You're telling me? All these men going to her place and none of them is not who we thought it was to be. Why were all these men doing at her home anyway?" Tatsuki was shock at the number of men.

"You think?" Rangiku hinted.

"You don't say. How the rich snob has fallen. What will her struck-up brother think? What about Ichigo? Did he meet up with her elsewhere?"

"Funny enough, during the time they were under observation, there was no contact with each other. At least not face to face. From all appearances, your childhood friend was the dutiful husband personified. Besides work, he did not go anywhere else. Strange, eh?"

"It is kind of puzzling. Should we tell Orihime? Let her rethink about the divorce. Maybe they could work it out, just the two of them?"

"NO! Then all of my matchmaking effort will be in vain," Rangiku started to protest till she saw how Tatsuki was looking at her. She decided to change tactic. "I meant Hime has not really been happy since she has gotten married and didn't you said that she was enjoying the company of the scrumptious lawyer. It's time for her start a new life without the tears and the heartache. We only want her to be happy, right?" She pleaded her case passionately.

"It's true, but shouldn't that be Orihime choice?"

"We will let her choose!" Rangiku was all pumped up over what could be a happy ending for Orihime. "Now tell me about the new man in Hime's life."

Tatsuki shook her head over Rangiku's enthusiasm. "They only met today and I am not so thrill with Orihime having your 'discard'."

"Would you believe there's between us. That's why I knew he would be perfect for Hime. A man who's not interested in sexy ol' me is either happily married, waiting for the right one or gay? So is the bespectacled one gay? What was his reaction to our Hime?" Rangiku asked eagerly.

"The same as when she was in school, instant bedazzlement by a goddess. It was Inoue-san this, Inoue-san that, I felt like such a third wheel. But he seemed genuinely interested in a soon to be divorce woman. Polite to me but extra attention was given to Orihime. He has Orihime giggling at his self-mocking unfunny jokes."

"Unfunny to you, maybe. Are we looking at the beginning of a beautiful romance?" Rangiku asked all starry-eyed.

"Aren't we forgetting about something? Orihime's self-confessed everlasting love for that idiot."

"Oh... I wonder what they are doing now. You mentioned something about dessert? Did you get any for me?"

"No. As I do not like you. And I hope that idiot is getting his just desserts."

(原谅)

_(The next update will be the last for what was supposed to be posted as one chapter. I can then start working on the last chapter for this story. Do not feel like prolonging Hime's misery. And a heads' up, next update will not be pretty and it will be all about our estranged couple.)_


	7. Chapter 7

(ゆるす)

Kurosaki Ichigo was not enjoying his delicious home-cooked dinner.

He glanced wearily at the woman who has made this fit-for-a-king meal.

She was taking dainty bites of every piece of food she picked up with her pair of silver chopsticks.

They were sitting at the same table, eating together and yet they could be complete strangers just having their meals at the same time.

No words was spoken.

No polite pleasantries of how did your day pass by.

How do you broach the subject of your wife being seen with another man?

By none other than the husband himself.

The silence was killing him.

He never thought he could miss the nonsensical chattering his beautiful wife used to annoy him with after a hard, tiring day at the office.

And although, all she had gotten from him was single emotionless responses, she would still be all smiles and understanding of his grumpy mood.

When was the last time he has gotten from himself one of her truly genuine beaming smile?

"Hime?"

The chopsticks continued to bring food to her mouth without any pause in the action.

"Orihime?"

She continued to chew her food, slowly.

Ichigo was going to slam his bowl on the kitchen table in order to get his wife to response to him, but he knew anger will only make everything worse.

He controlled the simmering fury within him.

Anger and jealousy were not good dinning company.

"Inoue,"

Kurosaki, soon to be Inoue Orihime put down her chopsticks and looked at her husband.

"Yes, Kurosaki-san?"

So, they were back to that.

Ichigo looked back at Orihime.

"Inoue, I... I... "

'I saw you with another man. Who the fuck was he?' That was what he should be saying, but he found himself unable to question her.

Soft honey brown eyes blinked innocently at him.

It was not like him to act so wishy-washy.

But... he could not just accuse his wife of anything he did not have proof of, right?

"Kurosaki-san?"

She was worried for him.

It was either that or guilt.

"Yeah. I was just wondering if you are doing anything on Tanabata."

He caught a gleam of sadness in her bright eyes before she composed herself and shook her head.

"No. I will be home after celebrating with the children in school." The school teacher said almost sorrowfully.

Orihime looked at her orange-haired husband,

"How about you? Will you be going to the festIval with... her?" She asked hesitantly and bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to take away the pain in her heart.

His anger brown eyes stared at her.

"No." He stated plainly with the one word.

And she believed him.

She nodded.

She was going to go back to finishing her meal when he startled her by asking,

"How about spending it with me? I know that Tanabata is one of your favorite festival or is it your favorite?" He grinned hopefully at her.

Oh, how she wanted to say yes.

How she wanted to spend the evening with her husband.

The man she loves.

On what could be the last magical night when they were still husband and wife.

But...

"I do not think so, Kurosaki-san."

"Why ever not? It's not like you have any other plans? Or do you?" He asked suspiciously.

Orihime was taken aback by the cold distrust in Ichigo's voice.

"I-I already told you I will be at home."

"Then why not spend it with me like you have been doing for the last few years."

"No."

"Why not?" He persisted in his questioning.

"Because I do not want to hate the other 'Orihime'!" The other 'weaver princess' shouted in anguish.

Ichigo looked at his gentle wife in shock.

"What do you mean?" He asked softly.

Orihime's eyes glazed over as she explained to who she has assumed was her 'Hikoboshi'.

"Orihime only gets to meet her husband once a year and she still has to figure for the force of nature as to if she will get to see him. For the rest of the year when she is suffering for her love for him, at least she could take comfort that her husband loves her as much as she does him."

Orihime's eyes focused accusingly on Ichigo.

"Which is more than I can say for myself." She said sadly.

"Hi... Inoue." He almost caused her more grief by addressing her as a princess.

Orihime's eyes glistened with unshed hurt.

"I wished I was never named 'Orihime'."

His eyebrows lifted at her seemingly childish objection of her given name.

"For I will never find my 'Hikoboshi', right, Kurosaki-san?"

She looked at him defiantly, daring him to contradict her.

To say he is her 'Hikoboshi'.

To utter the three little words she so wanted to hear.

And have been waiting eversince to hear since she fell head over heels, love at first sight with her scowling orange-haired cow herder prince.

(ひこぼし)


	8. Chapter 8

(ゆるす)

"Inoue, I..."

"You cannot say it. You just cannot force yourself to say you are my 'Hikoboshi' nor that y-you... y-you l-love m-me." Kurosaki Orihime stammered the words out through her tears.

She was so sick of crying in front of him. He too, must be fed-up of her being such a weak crybaby. An emotional wreck, because of him. She was just not strong, like... _her_. "You cannot say the words because you do not love me. I am not her, right, Kurosaki-san?" The tears continued relentlessly, uncontrollably to flow down her flushed face.

Kurosaki Ichigo stared guilty at his beautiful wife weeping in front of him. It would be so easy to utter those three words that she has longed to hear from him for almost as long as they have known each other. It would be so easy for him because he really, really did l...

"It is alright, Kuroaski-san. You do not have to force yourself. I have already gotten used to it." The crying princess told him through her sadness.

Gotten used to what?

Gotten used to the idea of them together?

Gotten used of him loving her?

"What do you mean you have already gotten used to it?" He asked, unable or unwilling to understand the meaning behind her words.

Orihime looked at him sadly and wiped away her tears with the back of her small, trembling hand. She glanced around for something more absorbent to wipe away her tears.

A white handkerchief appeared before her blurry vision. Her husband was standing in front of her with the gesture of consideration.

She took the cloth article from him with a grateful, teary smile.

He was always so chivalrous. Scowling on the outside but a sublime softie on the inside.

And that was why she has fallen so hard for him.

So extremely hard and deep.

Will she ever escape from this well of crazy, unrequited love that is slowly killing her?

Will she ever be not in love with him?

She sighed softly as she wiped the tears.

Ichigo stood silently by her side and wondered if she was going to continue to cry with the little lamentation that passed through her quivering lips. He has thought of handing her the handkerchief as soon as he saw her wandering eyes searching for something. He assumed correctly that she wanted something to clean away her tears. And so he has handed her his handkerchief.

The same piece of fabric that she has placed in his pant pocket every night as she prepared his clothes for the next working day.

It had begun when they were first married and despite his objections of her babying him; she has gazed upon him with much love saying it was what a dutiful wife should do.

His wife.

And now that he was so used to her doing almost everything for him, she was going to leave him.

Was he really going to let her go so easily?

"Thank you Kurosaki-san." Her gratification cut through his selfish, possessive way of thinking. He continued to stand by her side. "I doubt you want this back now." He heard her muttering, almost to herself. "I will just put it in the laundry basket." As she was getting up from her chair, she noticed that Ichigo was still standing next to her. "Have you finished eating, Kurosaki-san? Would you like to have some dessert?" She asked him pleasantly.

He did not know if she was avoiding the question or she has really forgotten about it. He laid his big hand on her tiny wrist, encircled it and held it. "Not until you answered my question."

"What question?" Orihime asked, bafflement apparently on her pretty face as she looked at his scowling face.

Ichigo rubbed his face with his free hand. "About you gotten used to it." He stated bluntly.

Sad understanding of what he wanted to know prompted her to pull at her captured wrist from his strong hand.

But he was not letting go. "Tell me, Inoue." He asked almost forcefully.

Biting back the sigh that was going to escape from her mouth, she looked at him intently. "You really want to know."

"Just tell me Inoue. Please."

She looked at him straight in the eye. "But you already know, Kurosaki-san." Her sweet, honey brown eyes became unyieldingly, accusingly hard. He flinched slightly at her intense glare.

"I will never be love by the man that I love more than anything, more than myself, beyond life itself and I am never going to hear the three little words from you, right Kurosaki-san?" This time, tears will not accompanied the words because she has really gotten used to it.

It was the truth, after all.

"Inoue... " And she tugged her hand free as he uttered her name in despair. He stared at her as she moved around the table. Doing the mundane after the earth-shattering sentence she has accused him of.

"Now, who's for dessert?" She asked cheerfully as she cleaned the table.

He shook his head in disbelief. Now, who was doing the avoiding of the issue at hand. But at least it gave him the chance to find out about the bastard she was with.

"Did you make it?" He asked nonchalantly as he helped her to bring the utensils to the sink.

"No. I had lunch with Tatsuki-chan... "

_'Liar.'_ In his mind, Ichigo accused his innocent wife.

"and a friend of Rangiku-san's at this quiant, charming outdoor cafe." She finished her sentence truthfully.

"Matsumoto, eh? If it's a friend of hers, then it must be of the opposite sex. What's she trying to do? Set you up even though you are a married woman." He mocked one of his wife's best friend and wished in his heart, he could add the word 'happily' in front of 'married'.

But she was not happy, was she?

Orihime did not feel like saying anything and so she continued to wash the dishes with Ichigo doing the drying up without being asked. It was nice having him by her side, working hand-in-hand with her. She has missed him. She smiled as she handed him the washed bowls and chopsticks to be wiped.

Ichigo arched an eyebrow at her smile. He often wondered about the smiles that would just appear on her face and the reason for them. Their hands touched as he took the bowl from her. And in that brief contact, he knew nothing has changed between them.

What they have.

It was still there.

It will always be there.

Dessert was forgotten.

And so was the bastard trying to steal his wife away from him.

(原谅)

"Inoue, since we are not doing anything special on Tanabata, I hope for my birthday, you are not thinking of bailing out on me as well and you will be celebrating it with me." Ichigo asked his wife as she was getting ready for bed.

Orihime stood at the door of the bedroom and fiddled nervously at the hem of the oversized shirt she was wearing. She certainly did not expect him to ask her of _that_. Of course, she wanted to spend what could be the last time they were husband and wife with him on his special day. But... would not he want to be with... _her_ on that day?

Ichigo saw the contrasting, conflicting emotions being played out on his wife's lovely, flushed face. Did she not know what a fetching sight she was offering to his hungry eyes? Wearing one of his stolen obviously-too-big for her t-shirt; he has only worn it for a few times before she had decided to swipe it for herself. _"But, it is so big and comfy to wear, Ichi-kun." _ She had pouted and denied adamantly to give him back when he asked for it. _''Besides, it smells like you.'' _She had added dreamily before he had lustfully removed it off her curvaceous body and making her pay for the shirt.

And now here she was, right in front of him, fingers nervously playing with the said shirt and looking all flustered and absolutely desirable.

"So, what do you say, Inoue?"

Her soft brown eyes blinked once at him and her mouth opened to say something but she closed it again before any word could escape.

"Inoue?" He pressed her for a reply before she started to ask as to if he would rather spend it with _her_.

Her timid eyes gauged the sincerity of his request. His soulful eyes held hers and persuded her to look closer. She must have found what she was looking for.

"Like how it has always been celebrated?" She asked softly.

"Yeah."

And she nodded.

"Great. I assumed you will be going there straight from the school."

She nodded again.

"I guess I will see you there." He gave her a grateful, boyish grin. "Thanks... Orihime."

She gifted him a small, sweet smile without correcting him of his using of her given name. "Good night." She whispered and turned the doorknob of the bedroom, but before she walked into the room; her tiny wrist was once again captured to halt her movement.

Startled, her bright, brown eyes looked in surprise into his dark brown orbs.

They stared at each other.

Each willing the other to speak first.

To hope.

To hear what the heart has been longing for.

To confess

What could be the last chance for the truth to come out.

Silence.

A moistened mouth opened slightly, but before any word could pass from the wet lips,

**You have no right**

**To ask me how I feel**

**You have no right**

**To speak to me so kind**

**I can't go on **

**Just holding on to ties**

**Now that we're living**

**Separate Lives**

**Well I held on**

**To let you go**

**And if you lost your love for me**

**Well you never let it show**

**There was no way**

**To compromise**

**So now we're living**

**Separate Lives**

Orihime gave her husband what could be considered as a guilty look to Ichigo. Or maybe, that was what the ringtone implied to him.

She pulled at her wrist gently to let him know she wanted to be free from his firm grasp.

And he let go, reluctantly.

Eyes filled with suspicion, he watched as she went towards the strangely familiar but yet still unrecognizable song. She held the cellphone to her ear and without a backward glance at him, she went into the kitchen and slid the door close.

His chest burn with the uncontrollable jealous rage of not knowing who she was talking to at such a late hour.

He almost has half the mind to go into the kitchen and snatched the cellphone away from her, just so he could give whoever was on the line, the hell he deserved for daring to call someone's wife at such an ungodly hour.

He paced restlessly on the living room floor. He clenched his hands tightly, he could almost imaging himself pounding the faceless bastard with his fists.

_'Five more minutes.' _Ichigo thought irrationally to himself, _'Before I really go in and cut off her chitchat.'_

He glared at the kitchen doors, took a look at the cuckoo clock and started the countdown.

He felt like a damn cuckoo.

Or was it a fucking cuckold?!

At this illogical, uncalled for description of himself, he stalked towards the kitchen doors, ready to yank the doors open and snatched the bloody cellphone from her in undeniable, unreasonable jealousy.

The kitchen doors slid open.

His wife, with her eyes still on the cellphone, collided face-first in his chest. She stumbled back a little and looked up.

She encountered a scowling face full of suppressed fury.

Why was he so angry?

Was he angry with her?

For the call?

Her pale fingers fidgeted uneasily with her cellphone.

"I-Ichigo-k-kun... do you want something from the kitchen?" In her nervousness at his still-cute-to-her irresistible scowl, she reverted to calling him by his given name.

Hearing his name from her lips, his expression softened and he unclenched his hands, "Yeah, I wanted a drink of water."

Orihime gave Ichigo a little polite smile and moved to walk past him out of the kitchen. But that smile pissed her husband and he prevented her from leaving by placing his hands on either sides of the doorway.

"I-Ichigo-k-kun..." She glanced nervously at the muscled arms fixing her in her place.

"Who was it, Orihime? Separate Lives? Are you pinning for another man? You do know you are still married, don't you?" He drawled out his questions slowly, one of his hand moving just as slow on her shoulder, down her arm before clasping her small hand in his calloused hand, he held up her hand; the one with the symbol of commitment and love on it, "Or do you need a reminder?"

Orihime's heart started to beat fast, her breath quickened, she was becoming flustered, her eyes closed to avoid the intense gaze, she bowed her head and tried to compose herself.

She shivered when she felt his fingers under her chin. Her flushed face was being lifted but she kept her eyes shut.

She knew what he was going to do and she almost wanted it.

Ichigo angled his head, his mouth was within inches of hers, "Do you, Orihime?" His subtle threat ghosted over her quivering lips.

But before his lips could claim hers and showed her who she and her heart belong to, Phil Collins' baritone voice forced both of them to open their eyes.

Orihime's timid eyes met a pair of hardened amber before they widened as Ichigo relieved her of her cellphone and threw it across the room.

"K-Kurosaki-s-san?!" Orihime stammered out as she started to rush to where her cellphone was.

Ichigo, furious at the untimely, unwanted interference was made even angrier at his wife's anxiety at answering the call and calling him... _that!_

He grabbed her thin wrist and pulled her close to him. Almost snarling at his wife, "Who the fuck is he, Hime?" His voice, dangerously low as Separate Lives continued to play in the background.

"W-What do you mean, Kurosaki-kun? It could be a she."

"Separate Lives. I sincerely, fucking doubt it, Hime. So, are you going to tell me or do I have to find out for myself."

"Find out for yourself?" Orihime started to ask before she was dragged by Ichigo to where her cellphone has landed.

Realizing what her husband was going to do, Orihime's free hand grasped onto Ichigo's hand still enveloping her other hand and with all her strength, she tried to prevent him from going closer to her cellphone.

But he was so big and strong.

"No! Ichigo!" She cried out desperately.

Startled by his wife addressing him without any honorific, Ichigo's determined stride stopped in their tracks.

He turned to look at Orihime. Her beautiful brown eyes burned brightly at him. Her small hand continued to have a deathly grip on his hand.

"You are not going to embarrass me by going all possessive, jealous, husband-liked on some poor guy. It is not as if you really care about me."

"I don't care?! How could you say that?! You are my wife!" He stated in a semi-raised incredulous tone at his wife and restarted to pull her towards the cellphone.

"Not for long." He thought he has heard wrongly as to what his wife has just murmured. Once again, he stopped even though she was no longer making an effort to slow him down.

"What do you mean, Orihime?" He asked, with his back to her.

"You want to know who he is. Well, he is the friend of Rangiku-san that I was having lunch with and she introduced me to him because he is a lawyer." At the word lawyer, Ichigo turned and stared at Orihime.

To say he hated Matsumoto Rangiku was an understatement of the mildest kind.

"That nosy bitch! She is always trying to make you leave me! She should really just mind her own fucking business! And you..." He pulled his wife close to him, "Was it fucking love at first sight that you despair at having to lead a 'separate live' with him?! He jeered coldly and her blood ran hot.

"Rangiku-san is not the one forcing me to abandon this marriage! You! You are the one! It was always you and you only! I despair at this loveless marriage! And the song was chosen for you! For you... and I." Her voice, at first it came off strong and loud, but slowly it became soft and weak as the truth once again, resurfaced.

And the watery weakness started to make an appearance, again.

"Now, are you happy? You have your answer. Can you please, just let me go?" She pleaded, tearfully as her cold fingers tried to pry his warm hand off of her wrist.

Ichigo did not know if she meant to let go of her wrist or to really let her go. Nevertheless, he continued to hold her tight.

"Why are you so hellbent on giving up our marriage?"

Orihime stared, dumbfounded at her husband.

How could he?!

How could he say such things?!

How dare he try to blame her for the breakdown of their marriage?!

How dare...

"How dare you, to even try to suggest I am the one who is giving up on this marriage! How many times must I repeat myself for it to get through to that dense head of yours?! It is you! You and your loving of somebody else that is not you wife! YOU! Now. Let. Go. Of. Me!" Orihime shouted at Ichigo in resentment. She clawed her wrist free from his firm vice, not caring if she has scratched him in the process of freeing herself. She started to almost running away from him.

Shocked at his wife's outburst, Ichigo loosened his grip on her wrist. For a moment, he was stunned motionless. But not for long, the minute he realized he was looking at her back, her long, luscious hair flying in her flight to get away from him, he went after her.

Sensing her husband behind, Orihime tried to escape to the bedroom. But he was too fast for her. He was behind her before she made it through the door. He grabbed her arm roughly and spun her round to face him.

Frightened brown eyes met his chest. He grabbed hold of her shoulders and squeezed hard. "Orihime, look at me." Ichigo ordered his wife.

Orihime kept her head low.

"Hime, look at me."

She shook her head furiously. She felt the hands on her shoulders tightened. She let out an uncontrollable gasp of alarm when he slammed her back to the wall. Even before her mind could register the pain, her lips were covered in a punishing kiss.

Her eyes shot opened but her lips stayed firmly closed. Her small hands pushed at his chest whereas his hands left her shoulders, one hand moved to the small of her back and the other went under her thick hair, behind her neck; both hands working to press her closer to him.

The kiss was hard and bruising.

"Don't fight me, Hime. Open your mouth for me." He murmured against her unyielding lips. She shook her head in response. He opened his eyes to encounter a pair of brilliant brown eyes filled with unhappiness glaring at him. Her rosy red mouth vanishing into a thin, pink line.

As long as it was not hatred, he could deal with it. He gave out a light chuckle, darkly.

"You always were a stubborn one, Hime." He remarked calmly to her face before abruptly spinning her around for her face to meet the cold wall.

She struggled but all too quickly, her two small hands were captured and pinned behind her back and sandwiched between their heated bodies.

Ichigo leaned in, breezily, he blew at the hair covering her ear, "Why fight this, Hime?" He took a lock of her hair, twirled the silken strands and brought his covered fingers to his nose. "So, you have been using the shampoo that I like. Have you been using anything else you know I love?" Gently, he brushed away the hair from her flushed face to give her cheek a little tender kiss.

Orihime did not like how her body was reacting, betraying to her husband's seductive antics on her.

There always was a passion between them.

"K-Kurosaki-... " She protested weakly.

"What, Hime?" He answered back just as softly before his lips started to blaze a fiery trail from her cheek, to her neck and he pushed her t-shirt to expose her creamy shoulder, so his mouth could finally be at the sensitive spot he knew would definitely invoke a response from her. Slowly, very slowly, he tasted her delicate skin, his tongue teasing the smooth skin, sharp teeth nibbled lightly, threateningly, "Well Hime, are you going to surrender?"

_'Surrender? Surrender to what?' _Her bewildered mind wondered in confusion before a whimper escaped from her lips as her husband has bitten down, hard on that spot before soothing it with his 'forked tongue'.

The same glib organ that has been instrumental in creating an illusion that everything has and always will be wonderful in their marriage.

It has to stop.

This has to stop.

"K-Kurosaki-san, p-please s-stop."Orihime managed to stammer out even as the tongue-healing was igniting all kind of sensation to come alive, again.

Giving the bitten mark he has purposely given her one last lick, he decided to create a few more up her neck; he wanted everybody to know she belonged to him and him only.

Now and forever.

Ignoring his struggling wife, he continued to brand her, his larger body locking her in place as his hand began to leisurely caress at the smooth, soft skin for his pleasure. Taking a moment to admire his work, he smirked smugly as he imagined how was his teacher wife going to explain to her innocent students about the flower-liked scattering of ownership on her fair neck.

Hands on her shoulders, he twisted her to face him again.

A long finger tapped lightly on her hidden lips, "Are you going to open up for me, Hime?" Ichigo baited as his other hand continued to fondle, to paw its way to where she has began to yearn for his touch.

He could sense her growing arousal.

Her body was crying out to him.

Only he could satisfy his princess.

Closer and closer.

Nearer and nearer.

But she will not succumb, she kept her mouth closed and her legs even closer.

"Hime," Her hands clenched... her hands... they were free.

She pushed at his chest, "No. You open... " She started to say,

"W-What?" He blurted out in confusion.

"You open your mouth and say those three words to me. And even though I know you are lying, I will accept it because that is how much I want to hear those words."

"Hime... "

"You cannot say it. Even as a lie, you can't say it." She hit him on the chest. "Then, go to her. Go to the one you can say those words to. Ask her to open up for you. Tell your whore to open her legs for you so you can fu... "

And Ichigo took the opportunity to silence her wife. To kiss her. To taste what has been denied to him for so long. He explored the intoxicating wetness that was his wife's mouth. He took his time to rediscover every nook of her dampness. He grinned against her lips as her tongue tried hopelessly to avoid touching his. He wished lustfully another part of him was inside another warm, wet crevice of hers as well.

As he felt her tiny fists raining on him, he took one last sweep and gave her another punishing kiss before whispering, "I do not want to go to her. I do not want her. I don't want to fuck a whore." Ichigo laid a gentle, sweet kiss on Orihime's kiss-swollen, red lips, "I only want to make love to my beautiful wife. My princess." The fists stopped thumping. She stopped struggling. She went quietly still in his arms.

Ichigo caressed her tear-stained, soft cheek with his rough fingers. Tenderly, he rubbed her back.

"Hime," He sighed against her lips before his mouth replaced his stroking fingers and he kissed her delicately on her flushed cheek.

He tasted more of her liquid sorrow before a heart-wrenchingly soft sob choked forth from her.

"Why?" She clenched onto his shirt. "Why can you say that word and yet, you cannot even lie to me to make my heart be happy? Why?" She wept forlornly into his chest as her small hands continued to hold on to his shirt, tightly.

Ichigo looked at his beautiful wife crying her heart out. His arms wrapped themselves around her and he hugged her close to him, to his heart.

They just stood there, with his protective arms around her and her, clinging on to him, crying.

She continued to cling on to him as he bent down, lifted her up and carried her into his arms. He felt her shuddering as he kicked the bedroom wider and walked towards their bed.

Laying her onto the bed as gently as he can, her tear-burdened eyes opened painfully, slowly and they have a look of... fear in them.

He was taken aback by the fear in her swollen, red eyes.

Was she so frighten of him?

Was she so afraid of what he was going to do to her?

Was he going to force himself on her?

He shook his head.

He chastened himself for scaring his angelic wife.

Slowly, he laid down next to her. He pulled her close to him. She did not resist but he felt her trembling in his arms. "It is alright, Hime. We are just going to sleep." She relaxed and his trusting wife clenched at his shirt again.

"Why Ichigo? Why can't you love me? Is it so difficult to love someone like me? Why?" Orihime murmured and shed more tears against his chest. Her small hands gripping tightly at his shirt.

"Just sleep, Hime." Ichigo brushed the tear-soaked hair from her face and he kissed her lovingly on her forehead. "Sleep." He repeated softly.

The tired princess, worn out from the affairs of the heart, murmured sadly about love and sobbed herself to sleep.

Her orange-haired husband scowled as he held his sleeping angel closer to him. She was his star. His goddess. She was the only one who could heal his tormented soul. He was never letting her go. Nobody can take her away from him. Not that bitch Matsumoto. Not that fucking lawyer.

No one.

Well, he smirked grimly, regretfully, expect for the unavoidable, inescapable being in black.

(ゆるす)

Ichigo scowled at the door in front of him. Should he open it with his own key or pressed the doorbell and wait for somebody to welcome him in.

He leaned his forehead against the wooden surface.

Goddamnit! It was his birthday! He did not have to be so flustered on his special day. But this was how he has been celebrating his birthday since she suggested it.

Since they became a couple.

And how his family has loved her for it.

_"Ichigo-kun, we should celebrate your birthday with your family."_

_"Why? I only want to be with you."_

_"We will be, but I want to let your family know, they are not losing a son or brother, they will be gaining... me."_

_"You are so cute."_

_"I am, aren't I."_

_"Modest too. Promise me the night belongs to only you and I, Hime."_

And the nights of his birthday were always something he looked eagerly forward to as he endured his father's mad antics at the family home.

She has never once disappointed him.

He has been so worried she would move out of the home they shared after his disastrous seductive action upon his wife.

Rape.

The righteous, morality part of him forcefully corrected him of what he was really going to do with his wife.

He banged his head guiltily on the door. He was such a sick bastard.

He tried to force himself upon his innocent wife.

Has not he caused his gentle wife more pain than one would have thought it impossible to do so?

But as usual, she must have forgiven him for his rash actions for she did not bring up the night's inappropriate event and they were back to the almost normal, albeit complicated relationship they have.

And now here he was, going to celebrate his birthday at his childhood home with his family and... her.

He hoped that the night was going to be another night he would not forget so easily.

He banged his head one more time for good measure before shoving his hand in his pocket to take out the keys.

Just as he has put the key in the lock, the door opened. "Oh, it's only you, Ichi-nii." His dark-haired sister greeted him listlessly.

"Oi! Is this the way the way to greet your only brother and the birthday boy?" Ichigo removed the key from the lock and shoved it back in his pocket. "Who were you expecting anyway, Karin?" He followed his sister in. Then it hit him.

"Isn't Hime here yet?" He asked anxiously. "Answer me, Karin!" He shouted at his sister when she just gave him a apathetic look of 'blah'.

Kurosaki Karin pointed to Ichigo's feet and told him instead to take off his shoes. Ichigo wanted to take off to look for his princess but with his sister with her arms folded across her chest, standing in his way, obediently he removed his shoes in a fast blurr. "Happy, now?" He asked sarcastically. Karin just turned her back to him and started walking.

He followed his sister in a haste to the living room.

Three pairs of eyes greeted him.

_'Three?!'_

"Where's Hime?" He asked his family and took out his cellphone, intending to call his princess.

"Hello to you too, son." Kurosaki Isshin grinned at his firstborn.

"Happy birthday, onii-chan." Kurosaki Yuzu smiled at her big brother.

Ichigo returned a small appreciative smile at his youngest sister "Yeah. Thanks Yuzu." His concerned brown eyes swept the room, Where's Hime?" He asked yet again.

"Oh, put your mobile away, Ichi-nii. Orihime-nee should be here soon."

"Why isn't she here yet? She said that she will be coming here straight from school. Maybe, something has happened?!"

To her.

He began to pace restlessly in front of his family and tortured the back of his head.

"Bit your tongue. She was here. Can't you smell all the food? All your favorite dishes? And of course, your birthday cake. Orihime-nee and Yuzu were quite the team in the kitchen." Karin chided him before giving her sister a knowing grin.

"Then where is she now? We are supposed to be celebrating as a family. Did she leave when she know I will be here?" Ichigo's mind drifted self-pitifully to how she was punishing him for his reckless behaviour by not being here with him.

"Should she be avoiding you?" His father asked, nonchalantly.

"N-No! Of course not. " Ichigo denied in a hurry. But he felt the guilt weighting heavy on him and he was sure it was showing on his face. "Did she say anything?"

"Just how much she loved you and... " Yuzu stopped in the middle of her speech and looked at her brother. They all did.

"And what?!" He shouted in exasperation, impatiently.

"She has something really, really special for you and she has just gone to pick it up."

He let out a sigh of relief.

"Did she say what it is?"

"That it is going to be your best birthday present, ever."

"But I thought," He started to say and then he remembered she had said the same exact thing when they were choosing a date to become husband and wife.

And she was indeed the best birthday present for him.

Still is.

So how was she going to top it?

...Unless... she was...

He slumped onto the couch.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?"

"Did Hime seem funny to you?"

"Funny? How? I know a marriage consists of only two persons and I do not want to interfere or to give any unwanted advice but we have been hearing... stuffs." His grizzled old man scratched at his whiskers and looked accusingly at him.

Before ichigo could retort back, Karin made a semi-circle gesture in front of the stomach and asked mysteriously "Two? Doesn't a baby count in a marriage as well?"

The doorbell caused the conversation to come to a halt.

"Must be Orihime-nee!" Yuzu called out as she and her twin raced to the door.

"Why should Hime use the doorbell? She has her own key."

"Your gift must be too humongous for her to handle, eh?" Isshin joked and got up to supposedly help with the 'present'.

"YOU! What the fuck are you doing here?!"

"Language, Karin." Both father and son scolded her at the same time. They looked at each other in puzzlement and walked towards the sound of an anger Karin.

"Why are you here?!" Ichigo asked in shock.

"Happy birthday, Ichigo." The black-haired newcomer smiled sugary at him.

"Did you ask her to come, onii-chan?" Yuzu asked her brother in disappointment.

"No! Why should I?!"

"Please leave. Hime-nee will be home soon and I am sure," Yuzu advised her but she was cut off.

"She won't be coming. She asked me to give your brother his gift." After announcing this bombshell, she handed a big brown envelope to Ichigo.

Ichigo glared at her contemptuously before opening it to look at the content. Upon realizing what it signified, his strong, tanned hands shook and his handsome face was drained of its healthy glowing color.

"Did you put her up to this?!" He accused the short woman.

"She asked to meet me, to meet at our former school. The place where it all started. Where the princess fell in love with her scowling prince, not knowing he loved her not." She paused to look at the 'prince'. "She told me that I was no longer one of her best friends. That's funny coming from her. I have never considered a childish airhead like her as even a friend." She sneered at her former classmate. "She told me to love you more than she did and begged me to take good care of you. Then she finally told me to tell you this will be your best ever present from her." The proud woman indicated the envelope with her finger.

Yuzu restraint her twin when they heard the insulting description of their sister-in-law. Karin was ready to hit back at the dark-haired woman with much more than words.

"Was she crying?" Ichigo asked softly.

"Of course. She has always been weak."

"Did she say where she will be going?"

"No. And since I don't care, I didn't ask."

Ichigo frowned at the one he had said _those_ three words to, took out his cellphone and started to dial his wife's number.

"She's not answering." He mumbled to his family. He shoved the unwanted present violently to his father and ran to his car.

"Where are you going?"

"Home! To look for Hime!" He answered as he banged the car door shut, loudly.

They watched in concern as he drove off like a mad man.

"What are you still doing here?!" Karin spat the question at her.

"I love your brother and you know he love me too. So you should treat me nicer, you know. After all I am going to be your new sister-in-law." She gloated with almost finality.

"You will never be a part of this family! We will cut off all ties with Ichi-nii, if he were to marry a whore like you!" Karin exploded in rage.

"Don't say that, Karin-chan. Onii-chan will always be our brother and Hime-nee will always be our sister-in-law. But you are right, a whore will never be welcome at our home." Sweet Yuzu commented acidly.

"Girls, mind your words." Isshin half-heartedly went strict-parenting on his daughters. He clutched the envelope with the hateful contents against his chest. He turned to the unwelcome guest. "Please leave."

"Why are you still so polite to the fucking prostitute who's breaking up a happy marriage?!" Karin shouted before slamming the door shut in her face.

The petite woman stood frozen. She wiped the tears delicately from her pale face. The thing she did for love. At least she knew she was loved back. She took one last look at what she supposed was going to be her home too. She started to walk away.

It will all be worth it in the end.

(原谅)

"Hime!" Ichigo shouted the moment he has managed to get the door opened with his shaking hands.

The living room.

The kitchen.

The bathroom.

And finally, their bedroom.

Heart pounding...

He looked in the closet.

All her clothes were gone.

Everything was gone.

She... She really has left him.

He collapsed on the bed. The bed where he has held her tight and she has kept him warm and loved him.

Was she really gone from his life?

Ichigo rubbed his face in frustration, in fear. His exhausted eyes caught something white on the now cleared, dressing table. Tentatively, his hand reached for it. He knew what it contained before he poured the contents onto his palm.

It was the three rings he has given her to bond her, body and soul to him and a small piece of paper.

There was a single word on it.

One word that caused an agonizing confession of pure pain and lost to be torn from his throat,

"HIME! I LOVE YOU!"

(ゆるす)


End file.
